Fields of Gold
by Crimson Mooon
Summary: "There's a large amount of white blood cells in your blood." "I thought white blood cells were good?" "White blood cells usually are good, but having a count as high as you do right now usually means that there's an infection, and they're produced so fast that they're premature and can't fight off infection very well…it's usually a sign of leukemia."
1. Chapter 1

Fields of Gold

_Chapter One_

"Alright Mr. Shinra, I'll see you next year."

Rufus nodded and then slid off of the uncomfortable table. His doctor walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, giving the blonde the privacy to change back into his clothes. He walked over and grabbed his white suit, putting all the pieces on and making sure that he looked more than presentable, then grabbed his cell phone off the counter and shoved it in his pocket.

He walked over and opened the door, the stuffy smell of medicine and cleaning supplies filled his nostrils and he couldn't help but walk fast down the hallway to get away from it all. He couldn't stand doctor's offices or hospitals. He walked into the lobby where Reno was sitting in one of the chairs, his feet propped up on coffee table that the chairs surrounded and he was flipping through a magazine lazily. His turquoise eyes looked up to meet his green ones and a sloppy grin adored his face.

"Thank Gaia, yo." He hopped up quickly, tossing the magazine on the coffee table and then walking over to stand beside the blonde, "I thought I was going to die, I hate being around sick people." He tried to keep his voice quiet, but a woman across the room glared at him and then went back to reading her magazine.

"Let's just go." Rufus said while trying not to smirk from the look Reno just received. They walked out of the lobby, the cool Fall air greeting them. He took in a deep breath as if to get rid of the air he had breathed in from the building.

"Seventh Heaven?" Reno's voice said while stretching.

"That's fine." Rufus said lazily, feeling tired from all the tests that his doctor made him do. It was his yearly check up, and even though he had been through _much_ worse, he couldn't help but hate them with a burning passion.

They walked over to the car, Reno getting in the driver's seat and Rufus sliding into the passenger side. "When's the next meeting with Reeve?" Reno asked while backing the car out of the parking space.

"Tomorrow." The blonde answered while leaning his head against the headrest. He wasn't looking forward to it; in fact, he knew that there were going to be some issues with the plan that Reeve started to build. He had faxed a copy of it to Rufus earlier in the morning, and even though he understood that he was trying to better the world, he couldn't help but feel like that he wasn't putting a lot of thought into the decision.

Reeve wanted to rebuild Midgar, and even though the idea seemed nice, Rufus didn't think so. He couldn't argue that it would create some jobs, but the fact was that it was going to cost more money than what it was worth. There would be so much to move, destroy and by the time the city _was_ rebuilt, it would have been cheaper to just add onto edge. He also couldn't help but think that Midgar was almost like a monument that reminded people of the past, which wasn't always a bad thing. He sighed from the thought and then glanced over at Reno, who was bobbing his head to some ridiculous song on the radio with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"It's still weird," Reno began while turning, "you being a vice president of a company other than your last name."

Rufus nodded, he had been very hesitant in accepting the offer. Reeve had come to him a few months after the Deep Ground incident asking if he'd be willing to consider being the vice president of the WRO. At first he had immediately said no, and that he was going to try to rebuild his own company to give it a better name. After some thought though, he decided that at that moment, it might help the world better to be a part of a company whose goal was to help the planet, then try to make his own.

Needless to say, he had taken the offer after some thought, and it was still strange.

They pulled up and parked on the curb across from the Seventh Heaven. Rufus found that he spent most of his time there, and was glad that the WRO had set up two headquarters, one in Junon where Reeve stayed, and one in Edge that Rufus oversaw. He had seen more of AVALANCHE than he ever thought he would, but after getting used to them all, he decided that their company was nice entertainment.

They walked up the small set of stairs to the front door of the bar and walked in. The smell of fried foods and alcohol hit Rufus full force and even though it was only three o'clock, the bar still had a decent amount of people in it. Reno waltzed over to sit at the bar, and winked at Tifa. The bartender merely rolled her eyes and then walked over to where the red head had sat down.

"Rufus, please control your Turk." She looked over at the Vice President as he sat down beside Reno.

"Reno, behave." He said while trying to decide what drink he wanted.

"Whatever, yo." He looked at Tifa and smirked, "Strife needs to make a move, before someone else sweeps you off your feet."

Rufus noticed Tifa's face turn a light shade of pink and she shook her head while walking over to tend to another customer. Reno turned to look at Rufus then raised an eyebrow, "So, anything new with the checkup?"

"Nope."

"You look like you've lost weight." The red head commented nonchalantly, glancing at the menu that hung from the ceiling. "Everything's good though?"

Rufus had to resist the urge to roll his eyes, "Yes Reno, I'm fine." He knew he had lost some weight, but he had also just become Vice President of a company that needed _a lot_ of work. He had also been so busy trying to get Edge on its feet that he had neglected himself a little.

Reno hummed and then tapped his fingers against the wooden bar, "Cheese Fries…or nachos?" He glanced over at the blonde, and Rufus merely shook his head.

"I don't want anything." His voice was quiet, and the main thing he wanted to do was sleep. He hadn't gotten nearly enough the night before, and when he finally did get to bed he was sweating all night. His appetite was gone even though he hadn't eaten anything all day, but he assumed it was because he was exhausted.

Reno shrugged, "Whatever." Tifa made her way back over to them and Reno quickly spoke, "Cheese Fries it is!" He winked at Tifa again, and she merely rolled her eyes and walked away from them again.

A few hours passed, and Rufus started to feel more exhausted by the hour. Cloud had walked in about an hour after they had, and Yuffie Kisaragi eventually made her away in the bar as well. Both she and Cloud had immediately started to help with the bar, the young ninja waiting on the people who had come in with the evening rush and Strife in the kitchen. Reno kept trying to make small talk with Tifa, and finally when it hit seven Rufus couldn't take it anymore.

"Reno, let's go." He tried to keep the exhaustion off his face, and when the red head looked over at him he tried to make an excuse, "I have some last minute papers I have to take care of before the meeting tomorrow."

"Alright, yo." Reno took one last sip of his water, "I hate being the designated driver." He muttered and then hopped off the barstool. Tifa looked over at them and the red head winked at her again. "See ya later Teef!"

"See ya!" She called as she handed someone down the bar their drink.

Rufus slid off his barstool and had to catch his balance. He was glad Reno didn't see the small stumble, and he slowly made his way to the front door. The red headed Turk had walked over to Yuffie, and she was glaring at him when he walked away. Rufus gave her a small nod of acknowledgment and then followed Reno out the door.

"Man, I'm so tired of the women in there." Reno scoffed as they walked across the street to the car.

"Maybe you should stop being you and try another approach." Rufus offered as he opened the passenger door and sat down. "Besides," he added, "You mess with women that are already taken."

"Kisaragi is taken?!" Reno gawked as he closed his door and turned on the car. "With who?! Reeve?"

"Not quite."

"….No." Reno looked like he was about to have a heart attack, "She is _not_ with Valentine. He's a vampire."

"He's not a vampire Reno." Rufus muttered while trying not to close his eyes.

"He sure as hell looks like one." The red head said while taking off. "I mean, come on. He can at least try to act human. All he ever does is brood, not talk and just…how and the hell?" He shook his head, "I think you're lying."

Rufus shrugged, "Opposites attract."

"Yeah…whatever, yo." Reno yanked his cigarettes and grabbed one, tossing the case back into the console. "That's just weird, and gross. He's like old enough to be her grandfather."

Rufus ignored the rambling Turk beside him and slowly leaned his head against the window. The cool glass made him feel even more relaxed, and slowly without realizing it he closed his eyes. He could hear the lighter flicker and then the smell of smoke filled the car.

The last thing he remembered before falling asleep was Reno groaning about a red light.

* * *

"Bossman."

He felt someone shake him, and slowly his eyes opened. He saw that they were in front of the apartment complex that the remaining Shin-Ra employees lived in, which really only consisted of Rufus and his remaining four Turks. He had gotten used to living close to people, even though he hated not being in his own secluded area, but he had gotten used to it because Elena cooked for him.

Rufus didn't say a word and merely opened the car door and slowly stood up, feeling weaker than he was used to. He closed the car door and then walked over to the glass front door of the building. He didn't even wait for Reno, he _had_ to get some sleep or he was going to pass out. He ignored the doorman's greeting and dragged himself to the elevator.

"Wait yo!" Reno's voice came crashing against the walls and Rufus found himself cringing at how loud it sounded. He made it into the elevator before it closed and then looked at Rufus like he had grown another head. "You were just gonna leave me?"

"Yes."

"Why!?"

"Because I have things I need to do." He raised an eyebrow at the Turk who didn't seem to grasp the concept. "You would have survived."

"You're cranky."

Rufus didn't comment and sighed on the inside when it finally hit the top floor of the building. The doors opened with a loud ding and both of the men walked out. They walked down the hallway together, and even though Rufus knew where he was going, he started to feel unaware of his surroundings. Reno stopped at his door and then did a half ass salute to the Vice President.

"Until tomorrow Sir!"

Rufus merely waved him away and then walked down to his own door. He grabbed his keys from his inside pocket and then shoved it into the lock. It clicked loudly, and he shoved the door open. He didn't bother turning on the lights, he merely yanked his key from the lock, pushed the door closed and locked it, then dragged his feet to his room and flopped on his bed.

He didn't have any energy left to even change. His eyes closed and right when he was about to fall asleep he started to grow sweaty. He groaned and then threw off all his clothes except for his boxers and undershirt. He sat up and then reached over and turned on his fan, then flopped back on his bed.

His green eyes closed and he was out in a matter of seconds.

* * *

"Yooooooooo!"

Rufus groaned.

"C'mon bossman! It's like nine!" Reno's voice was flooding through his apartment, and even though the red head was in the hallway, Rufus could still hear him perfectly. "Isn't that meeting with Reeve soon?"

Rufus rolled over, putting his arm over his face to block the light that was flooding in. He had slept like a rock, and yet he still felt like he hadn't gotten any sleep. He lifted his arm up a little and then glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. It was nine o'clock, and even though the meeting was at four he still had some things to take care of before it started.

"Heeeelllooooooo! I'm about to just come in!"

The Vice President regretted he had given a key to his Turk. He sat up and then winced; there was a small pain in the upper left side of his body. He took a deep breath, and then pushed himself off his bed. He stumbled a little, and even though he wasn't too hungry he figured that he was just weak because he hadn't had a decent meal in a day. He slipped on his white pants quickly and then sighed.

He heard his front door open and heard the lazy footsteps walk through his house. They made their way into his bedroom, and Reno stood against the doorframe giving him a weird look. "You alright yo?" Reno looked him over, "You're really pale."

Rufus nodded, "I just need some food." He was about to walk passed Reno to go into his kitchen when his cell phone started to ring. He groaned on the inside and then walked over to where he had thrown his jacket from last night. He grabbed it from one of the pockets and then flipped it open without even bothering to see who it was.

"Rufus Shinra speaking." He said while standing up. The pain in his side came back and he grabbed it quickly, thinking that pressure might help.

"Mr. Shinra…I need you to come in today." His doctor's voice flooded through the receiver.

He couldn't help but feel confused. He had never gotten a call back after a checkup. "Alright." He said while trying to think what the problem was, "Listen, if it's about my weight I get it, I need to eat."

"Please just come in the first chance you get."

Rufus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I'm kind of busy."

"You have to come in."

"….." The Vice President felt slightly insulted. He couldn't stand being told what to do, especially when he wasn't being told why. He gave an inward sigh and then gave in, only because he didn't have the energy to argue. "Fine, I'll be there in an hour." He closed the phone and then threw it on his bed.

"What was that about?" Reno said while trying not to yawn.

"I have to go to my doctors before we go to the office." Rufus muttered while picking up the clothes he had thrown on the ground.

"Why? You were just there." Rufus shrugged and then threw the clothes in his laundry basket. He walked past the red head and into his living room. Reno followed him and eventually Rufus was in his kitchen. "So, what time is the meeting?"

"Four." Rufus said while getting some bacon out of the freezer and throwing it on the counter.

"So..doctors, and then office?"

"Mhm."

The pain on his upper left side kept pulsing and he still felt so tired. He sighed and then looked over at the red head, who had taken a seat on his counter. He had grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl that was in the corner of the room on the other counter and was looking at Rufus while he cooked.

"You're serious though? Kisaragi is with Valentine?"

Rufus continued to ignore him.

* * *

He wasn't sure whether to be concerned, or annoyed.

Rufus Shinra sat in his doctor's office on the uncomfortable bed they poked and prodded people on. He watched as his Doctor walked into the room, sighed, and then leaned against the counter directly in front of the blonde. Rufus wasn't in the mood for any lectures, he understood he needed a better diet, and he understood that he needed to exercise. He just wanted to change into his regular clothes, and then go back to work. He didn't have time to sit around and be told things he already knew.

"I don't know how to tell you this." His Doctor's voice broke through the rambling thoughts that Rufus was having, and then he hesitated for a moment. He grabbed and opened a vanilla folder he had in his hand. "Your blood tests came back, and there's something I'm concerned with…that's why I called you here."

Rufus raised an eye brow, he thought that something was wrong when he got the phone call early that morning to come in, but he figured that he had just been called back because he hadn't been taking the best care of himself lately. He watched his Doctor's face and started to feel impatient when he didn't elaborate. "What's the problem?" He said blankly. His green eyes watched as the other man glanced at the report and then back up at Rufus.

"There's a large amount of white blood cells in your blood."

He thought for a moment, "I thought white blood cells were good?" He had always remembered from what he was told that white blood cells were the ones that fought off diseases. What was wrong with having a lot of those?

"White blood cells usually are good, but having a count as high as you do right now usually means that there's an infection, and they're produced so fast that they're premature and can't fight off infection very well…" He looked at the blonde and shook his head, "It's usually a sign of leukemia."

Rufus felt his heart stop. He stared at the man in front of him and then shook his head. "I'm just stressed." He said while trying to comprehend what he had just been told. "I just need to eat right and exercise some, and I'll be fine."

"Mr. Shinra, I need to do some other tests."

Rufus shook his head, "No. I can't do this right now, I have a meeting at four." He suddenly thought that his doctor had no idea what he was talking about, and then shook his head. He slid off the uncomfortable bed, and stumbled. He grabbed his side again, which started to hurt and when he looked over at his doctor he saw a strange look.

"You're holding your spleen." Rufus stood up straight and didn't say anything. "That's a very common symptom."

Rufus stared at the doctor and then shook his head, "I don't have time for this."

"If you're already showing symptoms, then that means that you might be in a later stage. Which means treatment can be critical."

He ignored the words and then walked toward the door, "I have a meeting."

"Mr. Shinra, this is life threatening."

Rufus stopped and then felt his heartbeat start to rise. He understood what he was being told, but he didn't want to hear it. He knew what cancer was, and he understood that it was fatal. However, he had a meeting at four, and he didn't feel like he had enough time to discuss how long he might be able to live for.

"Let me take some samples at least, and I'll call you when I get the result."

"Fine." He said while trying to calm his mind down. He thought of Reno who was sitting in the lobby, probably reading another magazine. He walked over to sit on the uncomfortable bed again, and then looked at his doctor. "This can't take any longer than an hour and a half, I have work."

"I understand."

Rufus felt a strange sensation flood through him, and even though he had been through much worse, he couldn't help but think that these tests might just ruin his life.

* * *

_Now, I've done a lot of research to try to understand how doctors find signs of leukemia. If I'm not accurate, than I'm sorry. If anyone has any advice than please tell me. I've never been good at science, but I hope that I'm at least slightly accurate._

_I hope you have a chance to review and tell me what you think so far._

_-Crimson_


	2. Chapter 2

**Fields of Gold**

_Chapter Two_

"In other news, WRO president Reeve Tuesti has let out a statement saying that the reconstruction of Midgar will go under way in the next few months."

Rufus clicked off his television, not having the energy to listen to more nonsense. The meeting with Reeve had gone over smoothly, and that was because the Vice President didn't have energy to argue. He had sat there the whole time, nodding his head and trying his best to listen. The visit he had with his doctor had exhausted him more then he thought it would, so instead of trying to convince Reeve that rebuilding Midgar was a bad idea, he just sat there and nodded his head.

He let his blonde hair fall in his face and sighed quietly. He had a scotch in his hand and even though that was his fourth one, he still felt sober. He couldn't get his mind off of what his doctor had said, and even though he understood that he needed to take the situation more seriously, he didn't want to admit that he actually needed help. He had survived geostigma, so why should he be worried about cancer?

He downed his drink quickly, trying to keep his thoughts from straying too far. He had changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt, and while he sat on his couch he couldn't help but feel like he was being smothered. He had just become the Vice President of the WRO, he was just starting to make some changes for the better, and his reward was to be plagued with that? Of all the times he could have died, it had to be when he wanted to make a new name for himself and repent for what he and his company did?

"_If your spleen is hurting, it means that it's most likely enlarged…we'll have to try radiation therapy if that's the case."_

He thought back to what his doctor had said and felt his hand start to shake. He shook his head violently and then threw his glass across room and with a loud crash as it broke. He stared at the place where the broken glass was and felt something stir in his chest. He let his green eyes wander around his apartment, and felt something tug at his heart. The thought of not being in the world, the thought of his apartment being vacant, the thought of his Turks no longer bothering him – it all made him feel sick to his stomach.

However, he was Rufus Shinra, and there was no way he'd go down without a fight.

* * *

"Hey babe, can you out some cinnamon in my pancakes?" Reno grinned at Elena, who was standing in the kitchen about to start cooking. She immediately looked over at him and glared while flicking him off.

"Stop calling me that, jackass." Her voice was venomous, and even though Rufus went through his whole process every Saturday morning, it never ceased to amuse him.

"Oh come on, don't act like you don't like it."

"Reno, shut up or get out of my apartment."

"Come on babe."

"Reno." Tseng's voice interrupted the banter between the two, "Show some respect. Stop."

Reno threw his hands in the air, "Sorry, yo." He snickered and then looked over at Rufus who was sitting in the armchair and trying not to fall asleep. "Man, what's up with you lately? All you ever do it sleep."

Rufus blinked stupidly, processing the information and then shrugging. He didn't say a word to the red head, but continued to sit there in his dazed state. He had gone to his doctor's a few days ago, and as it was he needed to start radiation therapy as soon as possible. He was going to need to take a break from work, and even though Rufus could understand why, there was no way he was going to compromise his work. He could manage both, he was Rufus Shinra. He had dealt with worse things, like advents and being kidnapped.

"Bossman?" Reno's voice took a more serious tone, and when he glanced over at the red head he saw that in his turquoise eyes there was a bit of concern.

"I'm just stressed." Rufus answered while sitting up straighter. Tseng raised an eyebrow at his statement, and the vice president continued. "I'm the Vice President of a company that needs a lot of work, I just need some time to adjust and get things on the right track." He had never been thankful that he could lie like it was a hobby, but at that moment he was. He didn't want them to know what was going on, at least not at that moment.

"Well, maybe you should relax some." Tseng's voice broke through his thoughts, and when he looked up at the Wutian man he shook his head.

"I'm fine."

"I don't think so, you've seriously lost some weight, yo."

Rufus closed his eyes, trying to keep his aggravation to himself. "I'm fine. Just leave it alone." He didn't mean for his voice to come out so harshly, but when he opened his eyes he saw that Reno had a puzzled expression on his face while Tseng seemed to be trying to process what was going on. Rufus shook his head at his Turks, "I'm alright, I just need to eat."

"Well don't worry, you'll be eating in the next thirty minutes!" Elena's voice chirped from the kitchen.

"Hey babe! Cinnamon on my pancakes?" Reno grinned and then looked over his shoulder at the woman.

"Fuck off Reno. Go eat somewhere else." Her brown eyes were narrowed, and despite how petite she was, she looked dangerous.

Reno laughed and then looked over at his partner. "Man, what is it with the women here? They're all mean and don't appreciate my compliments."

"Maybe you should try complementing them in a different way." Rude offered.

"Hmmmmm." Reno looked over his shoulder again and then smiled at Elena, "Your boobs look great in that shirt, yo."

"Reno! Enough!" Tseng narrowed his eyes at the red head, and Rufus had to force himself not to laugh.

"That's not quite what I meant." Rude said while shaking his head at his partner.

"Whatever, yo."

Rufus looked at his Turks and had to keep the smile off his face. He liked spending time with them, they were the only people he could depend on, and the only people he could call family. He didn't want to jeopardize that over something that might go away.

* * *

"Alright Mr. Shinra, we're done for the day."

Rufus looked up at the doctor who was in charge of his treatment. His doctor had sent him here, and he honestly didn't like how young this new doctor looked. He smiled at the Vice President, and slowly Rufus sat up.

"Same time tomorrow."

Rufus didn't say a word, he just wanted out of there. He felt congested and sick. He slid off the table that he had been sitting on and walked toward his clothes. He looked back at the doctor and then raised an eyebrow.

"Mr. Shinra, I understand that of all things to happen, I'm sure you never considered or expected this. I just want to let you know that if you have any questions, I'd love to help."

Rufus stood there for a moment, and then thought it over. It wasn't as if he actually had someone to talk to this about, he hadn't let anyone know what he was doing. At that very moment he was on his lunch break, and was currently late getting back for work. He looked over at the young doctor and then nodded. "Thanks."

"Your other doctor was talking to me, and I was under the impression that after this, you might be going under chemotherapy?"

Rufus nodded, "He wants to send me to a specialist though, so I probably won't be seeing a lot of him anymore."

"I see." The doctor walked toward the door, and then looked over at the vice president, "Well Mr. Shinra, until tomorrow." He walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him and leaving Rufus standing in the room alone.

The vice president slipped on his white suit quickly, and then walked out of the office. He had driven himself there, so that way no one would know where he was. He was at the General Hospital in Edge, and even though the city needed a lot of work, the hospital was something he was slightly impressed with. He walked through the bright hallways toward the exit. He hated the artificial smell and once he was in the lobby he quickly walked out the front door. The fresh air felt like a godsend, and as he walked toward his car he thought of an excuse he could tell his Turks.

* * *

"You Shin-Ra bastard!"Cid's voice echoed throughout the bar, and when Rufus looked over at the booth the pilot he was sitting at, he had to keep a grin from adoring his face.

Reno, Rude, Yuffie, Barrett, Cid, and Cloud were all sitting at one round booth, playing a card game called, "Bullshit." Rufus had never tried to play before, but from what he understood from watching the group, Reno was good at it. The red head was laughing at the pilot who was still cursing.

Tifa was behind the bar, tending to the other customers, while the evening rush was just starting to begin. Rufus watched her as she floated from one end of the bar to the other, and he couldn't help but wonder why no one had stopped to help her yet. He looked down at his drink and dismissed it. It wasn't his place to say anything.

"Are you alright Rufus?" Tifa's voice broke through his contemplating.

He nodded his head and then took a swig of his drink. He was starting to feel fuzzy and even though his doctor had said that he needed to rest as much as possible, he decided that he'd do whatever the hell he wanted. He glanced behind him at the booth again, and watched as Reno threw down his last card.

"One nine!" He screamed as he looked over everyone who seemed to be contemplating his statement.

"Bullshit!" Yuffie chirped while grinning

Reno started to laugh, and then grabbed the car he had just set down. "Look with your own eyes babe. One. Nine." Yuffie groaned and then threw the rest of her cards down. Reno stood up abruptly, and then smirked at the people around him. "Alright, cough up the money, yo!"

Rufus turned around and listened to them argue. His head was starting to pound from the noise that was filling up the bar, and even though it normally didn't bother him, it was at that moment. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was only here for appearances, because all he wanted to do was sleep. He sat there staring at his drink, trying his best to keep how he was feeling under wraps. He sat there for a few more minutes, and tried to breathe slowly. He was starting to feel nauseous and even though he had been told he might be sick, he hadn't really expected it.

"Bossman? You're pale as shit." Reno's voice made him jump slightly; he hadn't even realized the red head had walked over to him. He glanced over at his Turk and shook his head. He breathed through his mouth and out his nose; it always made him feel better.

Except this time, it wasn't making him feel better. He could feel the haunting feeling in his chest and the buildup in his throat. He quickly slid off his barstool, walked passed everyone quickly and proceeded to run to the bathroom. He burst through the door, hung his head over the toilet and at that moment his chest heaved and he started to make disgusting noises. The acidic feeling of bile filled his throat and mouth and he was glad his eyes were closed so he didn't look at the mess.

"Oh gross, yo!" He heard Reno behind him and he wanted to slap himself for not shutting and locking the door. "Geeze, how many drinks did you have?"

Rufus coughed violently, and once he started to calm down he set his head down on the toilet seat. It felt cool against his forehead and he tried his best to ignore Reno's presence. He felt so exhausted that if he could have gotten away with it, he would have slept right there.

"What's going on?" Reno's voice was serious and he felt the red head kneel down beside him. "This can't be just stress, you're Rufus Shinra, stress isn't new."

Rufus ignored him.

"Bossman?"

Rufus closed his eyes and continued to ignore him. He had to think of something, anything. He didn't want to tell them what was wrong, he didn't think that at that time, it was necessary. He'd be fine, he had survived worse things.

"Rufus, what is it?"

The Vice President picked his head up and looked at the man knelt down beside him. The concern in his eyes was evident, and Rufus shook his head lightly. "I'm fine, must have been something I ate."

"You don't eat."

"I ate this morning."

"I doubt it. Did you eat lunch? You weren't in your office when I stopped by earlier." Reno sounded strange, and even though Rufus had known him for years he had no idea where this conversation was going.

"Yes. I ate." _That's a lie._

Reno stared blankly at him and finally Rufus was annoyed. "Reno, drop it." He had meant to sound more demanding, but instead he sounded lazy and exhausted. He stood up slowly, thankful his legs didn't start wobbling. He flushed the toilet and grimaced at the taste in his mouth.

The Turk didn't say another word. Rufus walked out of the bathroom and through the small hallway. The bar seemed to be more crowded, and instead of even trying to act like he could deal with it, he walked toward the front door. He opened it and was thankful it was getting closer to winter. The cool air made the heavy feeling I his chest loosen, and he sighed thankfully.

"Home?" Rude's voice made Rufus blink, because he had completely forgotten about him after his confrontation with Reno.

"I guess." Reno said while walking down the steps.

Rufus looked at the red head and suppressed a sigh.

* * *

_Sorry it took so long. I know that a lot hasn't happened yet, but soon the story will move a lot faster! But please review and tell me what you think!_

_-C_


End file.
